Flash light



May 10, 1932. B. F. MULDOON FLASH LIGHT Filed July 14, 1930 J INVENTOR Maw ATTQRN EY Patented May 10, 1932 STATES BERNARD F. IvIULDOON, 0F MOUNTAINVIEW, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY HYIMAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK FLASH Application filed July 14,

This invention relates to a novel and improved form of flash light, the novel features of which will be best understood from the following description and the annexed drawings, in which I have shown a selected embodiment of the invention, and in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a flash light constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation taken from the right of Fig. 1; r

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, parts broken away and other parts shown in section, the view being taken generally on the line 38 of Fig. l;

ig. 4c is a view of the top part of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, but with the parts in a different position;

Fig. 5 is a detached view of the housing containing the lighting mechanism.

The invention will be described as embodied in a flash light of the pocket type, although it is to be understood that it may be used with other devices where found appli cable.

In the embodiment illustrated, the flash light is shown as comprising a casing 1 of the usual insulating material containing battery cells 2 adapted to operate a lighting mechanism contained in a housing 3 which is here shown as disposed in an open end of the casing. The casing is of the usual elongated form and, in this embodiment, is of general oblong shape with two rounded sides, although a particular form may, of course, be varied without departing from the scope of my invention.

The lighting mechanism inthis instance comprises a lamp 1 mounted to move with a cover 5. When the parts are in the full line position shown in Fig. l, the lamp is received in the housing and hidden from view by the cover -5. When, however, the parts are placed in the position indicated in Fig. 4, or in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the lamp is ligl'ited and exposed, in a manner well known in the art. The details of the mechanism for moving the lamp from one position to another will not be further described in detail,

it being suflicient to say that the mechanism LIGHT 1930. Serial No. 4e7,7co.-

in the casing, and in this form such means comprises a spring-pressed detent or tongue 9 which may be secured to the base of the housing by a rivet 10 and may, in fact, form part of onecontinuous piece, theot-her end 11 of which is used to form a contact member engaging with a contact 12 on-a cell.

The detent is extended out through the open end of the casing and bent over the edge as shown at 18, to form a thumb piece which i may be easily grasped to manipulate the de-' tent. In ordinary practice, this thumb piece will be operated by slipping the thumb nail beneath it. The detent is provided with a tooth 14 received in an aperture 15 in the casing wall.

V In operation, the housing which is shown indetached position in Fig. 5 may be slid into the open end of the casing, the thumb piece 6 sliding in the open-ended'groove 8, and the detentQ bending inwardly and snapping outwardly when the tooth l4 enters the aperture 15. The housing is thus detachably held in position in the casing, and, when it is desired to unlockthe housing so as to remove it from the casing, this may be done either by pushing an instrument through the aperture 15 against the tooth 14, or by engaging the thumb nail beneath the thumbpiece 13.

The aperture may be replaced with a recess in which the tooth let is received, and which recess does not extend entirely through the wall of the casing. In this case, the tooth will be always released by operation of the thumb piece 13. The result is a housing which maybe quickly inserted imposition and removed from position with a minimum of effort, and the construction is one be cheaply and easily made.

I claim:

1. A flash light comprising a casing with one end open, a housingdisposed in said casing adjacent said open end, and a spring clip which may on said housing having a projection received in a recess in the casing and having a portion projecting outwardly from said open end and shaped to form a thumb piece.

2. A flash light comprising a casing with one end open, a housing disposed in said casing adjacent said open end, and a spring clip on said housing having a portion received in a recess inthe casing and having another portion projecting outwardly from said open end and bent over the edge of the casing for the purpose set forth.

3. A flash light comprising a casing with one end open, a housing disposed in said casing adjacent said open end, lighting mechanism in said housing, a thumb piece adapted to operate said mechanism and projecting from said housing into an open ended slot in said casing, and means yieldingly holding said housing in said casing and disposed substantially opposite said thumb piece.

at. A flash light comprising a casing with one end open, a housing disposed in said cas ing adjacent said open end, lighting mechanism in said housing, a thumb piece adapted to operate said mechanism and projecting from said housing into an openended slot in said casing, means yieldingly holding said housing in said casing and disposed substantially opposite said thumb piece, and a mem- 7 her projecting from the end of the casing and adapted to operate said last-named means.

5. A flash light comprising a casing having one end open, an open-ended slot in the wall of the casing at said open end, an aperture in the casing substantially opposite said slot, a housing disposed in said open end, lighting mechanism in said housing, a thumb piece projecting from said housing into said slot and adapted to operate said mechanism, and a spring detent onthe housing and projecting into said aperture.-

6, A flash light comprising a casing having one end open, an open-ended slot in the wall of the casing at said open end, an aperture in the casing, substantial-1y opposite said slot, a housing disposed in said open'end, lighting mechanism in said housing, a thumb piece projecting from said housing into said slot and adapted to operate said mechanism, a spring detent on the housing and projecting into said aperture, and a thumb piece on said detent projecting from said open end of the casing.

7. In a flash light, a casing having an open end, a cell disposed in said casing, a housing also in the casing and adjacent said open end, a contact member mounted in the housing and engaging a contact on said cell and eX- tending out of said open end of the casing adjacent a wall thereof, and a tooth on said member received in a recess in said wall.

BERNARD F. MULDOON. 

